


visitor

by driedvoices



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: F/M, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-05-14
Updated: 2012-05-14
Packaged: 2017-11-05 08:24:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 605
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/404329
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/driedvoices/pseuds/driedvoices
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nico likes to drop in on Percy and Annabeth unexpectedly.</p>
            </blockquote>





	visitor

Nico likes to drop in on Percy and Annabeth unexpectedly. 

It's nothing like necessity; he's got his own place by now, and there's no logical reason for him to tire himself jumping shadows to their apartment. But he sort of likes the way Annabeth's eyes widen when he steps out of a darkened corner, the way Percy jumps a little when Nico sits down on the couch beside him. Surprise isn't a look they wear very often, and Nico's fond of being one of the few who get to see it. 

Their place is more comfortable, too. Nico's house is more or less a place to sleep and eat, occasionally. The furniture is still stiff from disuse and absolutely everything is in its proper place, methodically clean. Annabeth, however, wears her untidiness like a badge of honor. There are sketches strewn about the coffee table, the kitchen counter, even pinned to the bathroom mirror, and Nico tries covertly to memorize them, see how many he can pick out the next time he's in Olympus. Remnants of half-started projects are everywhere, too, from the dishes in the sink from last night's dinner to the hole in the wall where Percy thought he'd rewire a light switch. They both have a tendency to start things on impulse, which had surprised Nico at first, at least about Annabeth. But he learns that it was, in fact, her idea to paint one of the living room walls bright yellow, and it was only retaliation when Percy painted the other three blue. She grins while Percy recounts the story with gusto and after, she leans in conspiratorially and asks Nico if he wants a wall, too. He laughs, but incidentally, he doesn't; there's too much light in here, no room for any more shadows. 

More often than not, he'll wind up crashing on the couch for a night or two and leave early, before Percy and Annabeth wake up. Their couch is pretty comfortable, too; he never stays awake for too long, always finds his eyelids drooping with his face buried into the cushions. He wakes up smelling perfume and fabric softener, and it almost makes him want to go back to sleep again. 

He overhears Percy one night, talking in a low whisper that reminds Nico of Sally, almost comically, and he rolls over on his side so he can hear more clearly, careful to keep his breathing shallow and his eyes closed. 

"He doesn't need us to babysit him, Seaweed Brain," Annabeth is saying, and there's a pause that Nico knows is her pressing a kiss to Percy's forehead. "He'll come around. He's smart."

Nico's pulling his shoes on the next morning when he realizes someone's already awake, making coffee. He wanders into the kitchen and finds Annabeth uncharacteristically chipper, humming and popping a few slices of bread in the toaster. 

"You're not a morning person," he says warily.

"Technically, I've already been up for four hours. Coffee?" She shoves a mug under Nico's nose and he takes it gratefully. 

"You didn't wake up early so you could catch me before I left, did you?" Nico asks, taking a sip. 

"Yeah," Percy says, stumbling in groggily. "What happened to 'he'll come around'?" He throws an arm around Nico's shoulders and steals his cup of coffee, hissing when it burns his tongue. 

"I got bored," Annabeth shrugs and seats herself on the counter. Percy's arm stays firmly around Nico. "So, what do you want to do today?" 

Nico opens his mouth to protest but closes it suddenly, cuts his eyes at Percy and then back at her. Annabeth smiles.


End file.
